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Valley Center sophomore forward Mikayla Vega works the sideline in the first half against Mulvane.

Hornets sweep pair of non-league home games
By Taylor Messick
Last Updated: April 02, 2015

The Valley Center High School soccer team look to be gaining momentum after racking up two consecutive, emphatic wins under first-year coach, Steen Danielsen. After a season-opener that resulted in a tightly contested 1-0 loss at Newton, the girls have come alive to move to a 2-1 record.

The young team is mostly freshmen and sophomores, with three juniors and just one senior. Prior to becoming the head-coach, Steen was an assistant for two seasons under former coach, Jeff Burger. This has made for an easy transition for the coach and his players, as Danielsen has been around for the entirety of his players' careers — with the exception of the sole senior.

"They're used to me," says Danielsen. "They know what I want and how I coach; and I know them and how they react to certain situations, so I think our team has really good chemistry given all those aspects."

On March 26, the Hornets hosted Salina South. After not knowing what to expect with four varsity contributors injured, the girls came away with a 4-1 victory. Danielsen was pleased with the way the team came together during the game.

"Salina South was a challenging team," Danielsen said, "but our girls clicked that night and because we're still suffering from those injuries, it was good to see a lot of girls step up. They just learned how to possess the ball and attack out wide."

The Hornets wasted no time getting busy in the first half, with the first goal of the game scored by stand-out junior forward Kennedy Weaver. The shot came from just five feet out after a sharp pass from sophomore midfielder Sammy Boese.

Boese scored the second goal for the Hornets on a 10-footer, assisted by another standout forward, sophomore Mikayla Vega.

The Cougars responded with their lone goal of the game, only to be answered before the half by a deep goal from Vega, assisted by Weaver. Vega returned the favor to Weaver in a quiet second half, assisting the only goal by either team from 50 feet out.

On March 31, Valley Center hosted a Mulvane team coming off a 6-0 shutout of Ark City, but the Wildcats saw the roles reversed in this match, as they fell 6-0 to the Hornets.

As the score would indicate, the girls dominated all aspects of the game. The Hornets' defense suffocated the Wildcats. Sophomore goalkeeper Bethany Reeves, rarely had to move in the Hornets' first shutout of the year, as Mulvane failed to attempt a shot during the game.

Danielsen was pleased with his team's ability to possess the ball in the first half, and related the successful 5-0 half to teamwork and a disciplined offense.

"All five of our goals in the first half were goals that we would score on any team, given the buildups we had," he said. "I was happy with how they attacked and used each other as a team."

The first goal of the game came on one of two assists from Vega in the contest. The shot was a close one, made by junior forward Evann Shelton. Vega got her second consecutive assist on a shot by Weaver, who would go on to make two more shots in a row to complete a hat trick before halftime — the first was assisted by freshman midfielder Emma Girtz, while the last one was the product of Weaver alone.

Girtz chalked up another assist before the half, hitting Vega and splitting two defenders on a beautiful setup down the middle.

The second half was quiet for both teams, with Vega scoring the only goal, unassisted. The Hornets had a couple other shots and some good opportunities, but the coach felt the Hornets were as successful because they got away from the teamwork and discipline that had been working for them in the first half.

"We were trying to force too much and we were too concerned about scoring," Danielsen said. "If we stick to the soccer that we're practicing — that we talk about and coach about every day — goals will come."

The Hornets will look to continue their success April 6 when they travel to Buhler. Buhler is 0-2 after being outscored 15-2 in its first two games of the season.

Junior varsity — After losing 2-0 at Newton in the March 24 opener, the JV Hornets tied 1-1 with Salina South March 26. Junior forward Chloe McNiel scored the only goal for Valley Center.

The Hornets got their first win of the season against Mulvane March 31 in a 2-0 victory. After a scoreless first half, freshman forward Kayla Blackwood scored the first goal of the contest. Sophomore midfielder Taylor Weems had the other. Assistant coach Bryan Heinz was pleased that the girls continued to learn the system and get better. The win moves the girls to 1-1-1 on the season.






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